Tightening device for ski bindings

ABSTRACT

943,048. Ski-bindings. H. MARKER. April 13, 1961, No. 13394/61. Heading A6D. A tightening device for ski-bindings comprises a tightening lever and at least one helical spring connected through a link to the lever, the short lever arm of the tightening lever which in use is closer to the boot heel than the main part of the tightening lever having a roller projecting beyond the lever arm, the shaft of the roller being at right angles to the plane of movement of the tightening lever and the roller being supported in use on and being arranged to roll in a groove in the heel of the ski boot on actuating the tightening lever. A ski boot 2 has a safety plate 3 engaging the toe and a tightening device 5 engaging the heel 4. A strap 6 may additionally engage the heel. One end of a spring 9 and one end of a link 18 pivotally connected to the tightening lever 7 are secured to a plate 13 fast or rotatable on the ski. The plate 13 has two lateral check plates 15 and two rings 16 through which the strap 6 passes. The roller 10 is mounted on the short arm 7a of the lever 7 and a lever 8 pivotally connects the short arm with the other end of the spring. Two helical springs 19, 20 may be adjustably attached to side plates 32 on a rotatable plate 30 and to U-shaped connecting elements 25, 26 pivotally connected to the short arm 22a of the tightening lever 22 and to a link 21 pivoting on the lever 22. A roller 23, 24 rotates on each pivotal connection of the elements 25, 26. Lugs 33 on the plate support the device in a raised position. In another embodiment the ends of two springs may be connected to a cable 37 guided by staples and a holding device on the ski in front of the boot. One end of the cable may be connected to a threaded bolt 44 secured to a helical spring. A nut 42 on the bolt has a rocker arm 45 which engages over the end of the tightening lever 41 and which pivots under excess strain to release the lever and allows the device to open automatically.

Aug. 6, 1963 I H. MARKER 3,100,119

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed May 4. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HAN/v5; MAE/(EB BY i/m/W Jmmam "V 57;?

Aug. 6, 1963 MARKER 3,100,119

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed May 4, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. hi4 A/A/FS MA E/(EE iwwwm anzaw/mggm Au 6, 1963 H- MARKE 3,100,119

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed May 4, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3' IN V EN TOR. /-/A N/VES MAE/(2 /Mamu JMM/ Aug. 6, 1963 H. MARKER 3,100,119

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed May 4, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. H4 N/VFJ MA 2 KER A TTOEA/EYY United rates Patent 3,100,119 TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SKI BHNDINGS es Marker, Alpspitzstr. 37, Gar-misch- Partenkirchen, Germany Filed May 4, 1961, Ser. No. 107,739 Claims priority, application Germany May 9, 1960 Claims. (Gl. 28011.35)

The invention relates to a tightening device for ski bindings which engages on the boot heel, comprising a tightening lever and at least one tension spring connected through a link to the tightening lever. The prior known tightening devices are comparatively difficult to operate and also show various other defects. During the closing and opening of the tightening device, the short lever arm of the tightening lever is supported either directly or through the link on the heel groove of the ski boot and opposes a considerable force to the actuation thereof, this force being further increased by the force necessary for tensioning the spring. In order on the one hand to obtain the largest possible spring tension and on the other hand to open the tightening device as wide as possible, it is desirable to make the closing travel as large as possible by enlarging the short lever arm. However, the result of this is that the force necessary for actuating the device increases. An obvious solution of this difficulty would be to lengthen the long lever arm of the tightening lever which serves for the manual actuation of the tightening device in order to facilitate the closing of the latter. However, this is not possible, since little space is available on the heel of the ski boot and the tightening lever should project as little as possible beyond the ski. Consequently, certain limits are set as regards the length of both the short and long lever arms of the tightening lever in the prior known tightening devices, these limits mak ing impossible an increase in the spring tension and the opening travel. This has the disadvantage that with the known tightening devices, the pressure exerted on the heel of the ski boot is usually too small and in addition the tightening device must be arranged very accurately on the ski, depending on the actual length of the boot. If the tightening device is placed too far towards the rear, the heel of the boot certainly fits comfortably into the tightening device, but then the pressure exerted by the latter is too weak. On the other hand, if the tightening device is mounted too far forwards, a good pressure would certainly be achieved thereby, but the attachment of the binding is made substantially more difficult if not completely impossible.

The object of the present invention is to provide a tightening device which is easy to actuate and in addition has a long closing travel. According to the invention there is provided a tightening device for ski bindings, the said device engaging on the heel of the ski boot and comprising a tightening lever and at least one helical spring connected through a link to the said lever, characterised in that the shorter lever arm of the tightening lever which, in use, is closer to the boot heel than the main part of the tightening lever has arranged thereon a roller projecting beyond the lever arm, the shaft of the said roller being perpendicular to the plane of movement of the tightening lever, and the roller being supported, in use, on and being arranged to roll in the heel groove of the ski-boot on actuating the tightening lever.

The roller arranged on the short end of the tightening lever facilitates the closing of the new tightening device. The tightening lever or the link no longer bites into the leather of the heel, as was formerly the case, because of the forwardly directed force of the spring, but the roller on the end of the tightening lever rolls with considerably reduced friction in the heel groove. This has the advantage that the force necessary for actuating the tightening device is substantially reduced. By this means, it becomes possible to lengthen the short lever arm of the tightening lever and this has two important results. Firstly, the opening and closing movement of the tightening device is increased, i.e. the binding can be applied more easily to the ski boot, because the tightening loop formed by the short arm of the tightening lever, the link and the tension spring is greatly increased. Secondly, the spring tension is increased by the greater closing movement, so that the ski boot is held with a strong pressure. Furthermore, softer or more resilient springs are possible, which produce the same pressure on the boot with a large clos ing movement as a hard spring with a short closing movement. However, soft springs have a larger capacity for linear adaptation, i.e. larger tolerances can conveniently be operative when mounting the binding, without substantially altering the pressure produced by the spring and acting on the heel. The new tightening device is advantageously employed with two almost straight helical springs, which are arranged substantially on the two longitudinal sides of the heel and one of which engages on the short lever arm of the tightening lever and the other of which engages through a link on the long lever arm of the said lever.

A roller is preferably arranged on that end of the link engaging on the spring. Since the almost straight springs are arranged on the longitudinal sides of the heel, they cause little friction, and at the same time the spring stressing is much more favourable than is the case with the curved helical springs adapted to the heel groove, which formerly were usual. The two almost straight helical springs produce a very good pressure action and they do not suffer fatigue so quickly as the hitherto usual curved springs.

Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description of some constructional embodiments of the invention given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a ski and of a ski boot with a complete ski binding,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the new tightening device with the tightening lever open,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tightening device, also with the tightening lever open,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the tightening device with the tightening lever closed,

FIG. 5 is a partial view of the tightening device in the direction V of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the new tightening device,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of yet another embodiment,

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the design of a safety tightener, and

FIG. 9 is a partial section on the line IX-IX of FIG. 8.

As will be seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings, a ski boot 2 is arranged on the ski 1, the said boot being engaged in known manner by a safety plate 3 or any other holding means acting on the front edge of the boot sole. The new tightening device 5 acts on the heel 4 of the ski boot 2. FIG. 1 also shows a long strap 6 which can be used in addition to the novel tightening device by good skiers in order to achieve an even more intimate connection between the ski boot and the ski.

In FIG. 7, the reference numeral 7 indicates a tightening lever which is connected through a link 8 to a helical spring 9. Arranged on the shorter lever arm 7a of the tightening lever 7 which shorter arm is closer to the boot heel than the main part of the arm 7 is .a roller 10 project in-g beyond the arm 7a. Serving as the shaft for the roller is a.pivot pin 11, which also pivotally connects the link 8 to the shorter arm 7a of the tightening lever 7. By means of an additional pin 12, a helical spring 9 is connected to the link 8. In this embodiment, the tightening deviceis'fixed on a plate 13 arranged to be rotatable on the ski. This plate, which is rotatable about the pivot 14, is preferably provided when the tightening device is torbe used in combiantion with a so-called cheek plate. Thelateral swinging of the ski boot is facilitated or only made possible by the pivotability of the plate 13. In order to'secure the ski boot against lateral displacement, lateral cheek plates 15 can also be arranged on the rotatable plate. Rings 16 serve for drawing through and fixing'a' long strap which is not shown and which can be nsedr-by good skiers for downhill or mountain skiiing. Such a long strap can however be dispensed with for normal skiing purposes, especially as a substantially greater pressure can be obtained with the present tightening device.

The operation of the tightening device shown in FIG. 7 is as follows. With the closing of the tightening lever -7 in the direction B, the roller 10 is supported in the heel groove. With this embodiment, as illustrated, the tightening, lever is rotated about a pivot pin 17, which is connected to the rotatable plate 13 by means of a second link 18. With the closing of the tightening lever, the roller '10 rolls in the heel groove, whereby the friction between the short lever arm and the said groove is substantially reduced. Therefore, a much smaller force is necessary for closing the new tightening device than that required with the hitherto known tightening devices.

This advantage can be utilized in order to lengthen the short lever arm 7a, which is characterized by the spacing a of the pivot pins 11 and 17. By this means, firstly the closing and opening travel of the tightening device is increased, as already mentioned above. This makes possible -a more convenient fitting of the binding, since the tightening loop is larger, and also has the advantage that the helical spring 9 can be more strongly tensioned. As a result, the pressure exerted by the tightening device on the heel of the boot is substantially increased. Conseguently, the ski boot is firstly pressed more firmly on to the ski and secondly, since the tension of the tightening device extends diagonally, it is pressed more strongly against the safety plate 3 engaging on the toe of the boot. By this means, a very rigid and intimate connection is achieved between the ski boot and the ski, thus facilitating control of the ski.

FIGS. 2 to illustrate a particularly advantageous embodiment of the new tightening device. With this advantageous constructional form, two approximately rectilinear helical springs 19 and 20 are arranged on the two longitudinal sides of the heel. The helical spring 19 is connected through the link 21 to the long lever arm 22!) of the tightening lever 22, while the spring 20 acts on the short lever arm 22a of the tightening lever 22. Provided on that .end of the link 21 which engages the spring 19 is a roller 23. Furthermore, as in the preceding constructional example, a roller 24 is arranged on the short lever arm 22a 'of the tightening lever 22. In order to connect the helical springs 19, 20 with the link 21 and the short lever arm 22a of the tightening lever 22, respectively, connecting elements 25, 26 are also provided, which have aU-shaped profile for accommodating the rollers 23, 24 (see FIG. 5). Serving as the shaft for the roller 23 is a pivot pin 27, which also pivotally connects the link 21 to the connecting element 25. A pivot pin 28 is also provided, which serves as a shaft for the roller 24 and also for holding the connecting element 26. The link 21 is pivoted on the long lever arm 22b of the tightening lever by pivot pins 29. In this embodiment, the fulcrum of the tightening lever is not at one of the pivot pins 28 or 29, but is between those two pins because of the symmetrical arrangement of the two helical springs 19, 20.

In this particularly advantageous embodiment, the two helical springs 19, 20 are approximately rectilinear, as will be seen from the drawing. The almost rectilinear spring travel causes a good and uniform spring stressing, which is not obtained with the prior known tightening devices with curved springs engaging on the heel. A very good pressure by the rollers 23, 24 on the heel is produced by these straight springs. As will be seen from FIG. 3 of the drawing, the helical springs 19, 20 do not bear on the heel groove in the first part of the closing operation, since only the rollers 23, 24 are supported therein. Moreover, with the tightening device closed, the pressure between the springs 19, 20 and the heel is only slight, since they merely bear on the longitudinal sides or in the first part of the curvature of the heel and here the force component is comparatively small. At the rearmost end of the heel, on the contrary, where the force component of the spring is greatest, only the rollers 23, 24 are supported in the'heel groove. Since these only have a slight rolling friction and the springs practically do not bear or only bear with very slight pressure in the said groove, .a very convenient closing of the tightening lever 22 with small expenditure of energy is possible with this particularly advantageous constructional form of the new tightening device. Since only a small force is necessary for closing this tightening device, it is possible, as already explained in connection with the preceding constructional example, to use stronger springs, so that an even better pressure is exerted on the heel of the boot. Both helical springs are preferably made the same size, so that the tightening device is approximately symmetrical. This symmetrical design of the tightening device has the advantage that the boot heel is always accurately centered on the ski, if any guiding lateral cheek plates are missing.

Referring to the constructional example illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, the tightening device is also fixed on a rotatable plate 30. This fixing can be effected by set bolts 31, which preferably are longitudinally adjustable. A lateral displacement of the boot is also prevented in this case by lateral cheek plates 32. The prior know-n tightening devices also have the disadvantage that they lie fiat on the ski when in the open position. However, since the highest point of the heel groove is at 2 to 3 centimetres from the ski surface, the tightening device must be lifted this amount and then placed in the heel groove. Since the tightening device is very loose when the tightening lever is open, it always slips out of the heel groove again if it is not held by one'hand. Another hand is then also necessary for actuating the tightening lever. This inconvenient strapping of the hitherto known tightening devices is avoided by the arrangement according to the invention, by the fact that the set bolts 31 and thus also the remainder of the tightening device are held in a position sloping up to the heel groove by supporting elements provided between the ski and the set bolts 31. With the constructional form as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, these supporting elements are upwardly bent lugs 33 of the rotatable plate 30. However, similar supporting elements can also be provided on the set bolts 31, which are then supported on the rotatable plate or on the surface of the ski.

In the embodiments previously described, the new tightening device is fixed on rotatable plates arranged near the heel. FIG. 6 shows another constructional example in which the helical springs 34, '35 are secured in a known control cable 37 guided by means of staple hooks 36. This control cable is secured in a holding device 38 which is preferably provided with different detents and fixed on the ski in front of the ski boot. The tightening device itself can be constructed in exactly the same way as in the two constructional examples described above.

In order to ensure a satisfactory rolling of the rollers 10, 23 and 24- in the heel groove, the said rollers can if necessary also be milled or provided with grooves or the like extending parallel to their axes.

The invention is not limited only to the embodiments illustrated. It is moreover also possible for the tightening device to be secured not on a rotatable plate, but on a rigid plate, on two separate plates or with similar fixing devices on the ski.

FIG. 8 shows a tightening device constructed as a safety tightening means. A holding member 39 is connected to one end of the control cable 37, it being possible for the end 40 of the tightening lever 41 .to be forced into the member 39. (These cooperating components are so arranged that with excessive pull on the cable (i.e. with a dangerous fall forwardly), the end 40 of the lever is pulled out of the holding member 39 and thus the tightening device is automatically opened by the control cable.

:In the advantageous embodiment as illustrated, the holding member is formed as a nut 42 which can be screwed on to a threaded bolt 44 connecting the end of the cable 37 to the end of the spring 43 and can thus be adjusted longitudinally of the said bolt 44. This holding member in the form of a nut 42 comprises a hook-shaped rocker arm 45 which, as shown in the drawing, engages over the end 40 of the tightening lever 41. With excessive pull on the cable, the two springs 43 and 46 are expanded so strongly that the end 40 of the tightening lever is pulled out of the hook-shaped holding member 45 and then the tightening device is automatically opened under the action of the strong cable pull.

The combination of the roller-type tightening means according to the invention as shown in FIG. 8 with the previously described safety device has the particular advantage that with a dangerous forward fall, the tightening loop consisting of the springs 43, 46, the link 47 and the lever 41, opens instantaneously and to such a degree that the loop can slip off the heel, this being due to the small friction made possible by interposition of the rollers 23, 24. As previously described, due to the interposition of the rollers 23, 24, the closing pressure produced by the link 47 and tightening lever 41 can be made comparatively strong, so that therefore the enlargement of the tightening loop when opening the tightening device can be comparatively large.

What is claimed is:

1. A tightening device for ski bindings, said device being mountable on a ski and being engageable with the heel of a ski boot, comprising:

two, substantially rectilinear, coil springs arranged to extend along the two longitudinal sides of the heel from the front to the rearward end thereof;

a tightening lever having a long lever arm and a short lever arm, the tightening lever being pivotally movable in a plane which extends lengthwise of the ski, the short lever arm being pivotally connected to the rearward end of one spring;

a link pivotally connected at its respective ends to said long lever arm and to the rearward end of the other spring, said link being adapted to be disposed behind the rear end of the heel and extend substantially crosswise thereof;

a first roller connected to the rearward end of said one spring for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plane of movement of the tightening lever;

a second roller connected to the rearward end of said other spring for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plane of movement of the tightening lever;

said rollers being disposed between the rearward ends of said springs and being of such size that they extend inwardly a substantial distance beyond the innermost edges of said tightening lever and said link so that the portion of the periphery of said rollers closest to the heel will engage the heel and hold the rearward ends of the springs out of engagement with the heel.

2. A tightening device according to claim 1, in which the pivotal connection of the short lever arm and said one spring is coaxial with the rotational axis of the first roller and the pivotal connection of the link to the other spring is coaxial with the rotational axis of said second roller.

3. A tightening device according to claim 1, in which both coil springs are the same size,, so that the tightening device is approximately symmetrical.

4. A tightening device according to claim 1, in which the front ends of the springs are fixedly connected to a heel plate which is mounted on the ski, the said heel plate being provided with ring holders for drawing through and securing a long strap.

5. A tightening device according to claim 4, in which the springs are secured to the heel plate by adjustable set bolts.

6. A tightening device, according to claim 5, in which the set bolts and thus also the remainder of the tightening device are held in a position sloping up to the heel groove by upwardly inclined surfaces on the heel plate.

7. A tightening device according to claim 1, in which the coil springs are connected to a control cable which is secured to the ski in front of the ski boot and which is guided by staples.

8. A tightening device according to claim 7, in which one end of the control cable has connected thereto a holding member into which the end of the tightening lever can be guided, these co-operating parts being so arranged that with excessive pull on the cable, the end of the tightening lever is pulled out of the holding member and thus the tightening device is automatically opened by the control cable.

9. A tightening device according to claim 8, in which the :holding member is constructed as an adjustable nut on a threaded bolt connecting the end of the cable to one end of the spring and comprises a hook-shaped rocker arm which serves for holding the end of the tightening lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,747,885 Rehacek May 29, 1956 2,836,428 Marker May 27, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 140,881 Austria Mar. 11, 1935 147,359 Austria Oct. 26, 1936 1,190,118 France Mar. 31, 1959 481,375 Germany Aug. 23, 1929 691,296 Germany May 22, 1940 207,305 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1940 231,083 Switzerland May 16, 1944 

1. A TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SKI BINDINGS, SAID DEVICE BEING MOUNTABLE ON A SKI AND BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE HEEL OF A SKI BOOT, COMPRISING: TWO, SUBSTANTIALLY RECTILINEAR, COIL SPRINGS ARRANGED TO EXTEND ALONG THE TWO LONGITUDINAL SIDES OF THE HEEL FROM THE FRONT TO THE REARWARD END THEREOF; A TIGHTENING LEVER HAVING A LONG LEVER ARM AND A SHORT LEVER ARM, THE TIGHTENING LEVER BEING PIVOTALLY MOVABLE IN A PLANE WHICH EXTENDS LENGTHWISE OF THE SKI, THE SHORT LEVER ARM BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE REARWARD END OF ONE SPRING; A LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS TO SAID LONG LEVER ARM AND TO THE REARWARD END OF THE OTHER SPRING, SAID LINK BEING ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED BEHIND THE REAR END OF THE HEEL AND EXTEND SUBSTANTIALLY CROSSWISE THEREOF; A FIRST ROLLER CONNECTED TO THE REARWARD END OF SAID ONE SPRING FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF MOVEMENT OF THE TIGHTENING LEVER; A SECOND ROLLER CONNECTED TO THE REARWARD END OF SAID OTHER SPRING FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF MOVEMENT OF THE TIGHTENING LEVER; SAID ROLLERS BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE REARWARD ENDS OF SAID SPRINGS AND BEING OF SUCH SIZE THAT THEY EXTEND INWARDLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BEYOND THE INNERMOST EDGES OF SAID TIGHTENING LEVER AND SAID LINK SO THAT THE PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF SAID ROLLERS CLOSEST TO THE HEEL WILL ENGAGE THE HEEL AND HOLD THE REARWARD ENDS OF THE SPRINGS OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HEEL. 